NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2019: Results, Highlights and Analysis

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Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomoaki Honma vs Toru Yano & Togi Makabe – Tanahashi 20th Anniversary Match IV

Tanahashi’s 20th anniversary run continues with this match, with Honma split from his usual partner Makabe to tag with Tanahashi. Accompanying them ringside is Wataru Inoue, who debuted at the same time as Tanahashi against Katsuyori Shibata and retired in 2014 due to a neck injury but remained with the company.

The dynamic of all these particular wrestlers in and around the ring is inspiring, as Kevin and Chris briefly discuss on commentary, as they were all part of the effort that pulled New Japan out of its ‘dark time’, as it were, through their own skill and combined conviction. It’s not insignificant that just about a day prior, they were all part of the combined effort to clean up the New Japan Dojo, which had become flooded from Typhoon Hagibis that hit the mainland over the weekend.

Tanahashi’s feeling himself pretty early on, catching Makabe with a quick arm drag and then taunting him with his air guitar, which is something that I personally never get tired of. Just when Makabe and Tanahashi are catching their wind, Yano tags himself in and Tanahashi puts Honma in to deal with him.

Yano is up to his usual tricks and Honma is on top of him from the start, but he takes a moment too long hyping up his own Kokeshi and takes a strike from a frustrated Makabe to the back. Makabe and Yano both get set up for a double Kokeshi but sit up before the move can connect.

The rest of this match is pretty fun, Makabe and Honma get a few opportunities to fight each other, Yano throws Tanahashi into the exposed turnbuckles and Tanahashi does the same to him. Tanahashi and Yano exchange inverted atomic drops and both take a moment to nurse their groins. Finally, Tanahashi and Honma catch Yano with a double suplex and set him up for a double kokeshi, which connects!

Everything gets pretty chaotic, but Tanahashi finally pins Yano after a slingblade and High Fly Flow from the top rope. He then holds the ropes open for Inoue to join them inside the ring to share the moment of victory.

Considering all that’s happened this year already, it’s nice that Tanahashi gets the opportunity to share his anniversary run with some of the men who made his twenty years something special.